Underarm Cyst Treatment

Having had more than one underarm cyst in the past year is yet another embarrassing skin care problem I’ve unexpectedly encountered. Not only is having a giant lump in your armpit embarrassing, it’s also painful and scary! Overnight I developed a pretty large painful bump, and as a hypochondriac I immediately freaked out and wanted to call a doctor. After about a week the cyst went away on its own, and I was extremely relieved. Then another cyst developed, in my other underarm! What was going on? I want to prevent other people from having the near-panic experience I had, which is why I’m writing about this!

Underarm cyst treatment and prevention
Once I got the second cyst, and then a third one, I immediately suspected the problem was probably being caused by something topical I was applying to my skin. The only thing new I added to my routine was a new hydrating body wash. Because this happened last year, I can’t remember for sure which body wash it was, but I think it was Olay Body Creme Ribbons. I don’t want to blast the product, in case I’m wrong, and I used to use Olay body washes all the time when I was younger and loved them. Anyway, I stopped using my new body wash, and within a few days the cysts were all gone, and they have never returned! What I had was a severely impacted skin follicle that turned into the size of a large pea.

If you develop underarm cysts and have added a new product to your routine (a new body wash, soap, or antiperspirant), eliminate the new product for a week or two to see if that fixes the problem. If not, it’s best to call your doctor to see if something more serious is going on (it could be a swollen lymph node, for example). I’m lucky that my cysts went away on their own, but I could foresee them needing to be extracted by a Dermatologist if they don’t subside naturally.

Keratosis Pilaris
You may remember I develped Keratosis Pilaris from a different body wash – Dove Cool Moisture. Basically that body wash clogged my pores, which caused dry, bumpy “chicken skin” pores on my upper arms. A switch to a different body wash cleared up my chicken skin, although I was lucky because Keratosis Pilaris can be difficult to treat. Given that makeup and facial skin care products many times clog pores, I guess it’s no surprise when it happens on your body as well!

Best Hydrating Body Wash
Currently I still use Johnson’s Body Care, Deep Hydrating Intense Moisture Body Wash which you can find at Walmart and CVS. Make sure to get this one (the yellow top), or the one with the green top, because they have the same ingredients, which are different than their other, similar body washes. The only reason I tried out different body washes was because I don’t like the smell of the Johnson’s – my boyfriend calls it “Grandma soap.” But I’d rather smell like flowery perfume than deal with bumps all over my body!

For the most part, even though I have dry skin, I stay away from body washes that have the word “cream” or “hydrating” or “moisture” in them, since those are the ones that clog my pores (except for the Johnson’s one). The best thing to do is experiement because everyone’s skin is different, and luckily body wash is pretty cheap. I also returned the $5 cyst-causing soap back to the store becaue I was so mad about the health scare it gave me!

Good Body Wash for Normal to Oily Skin
I also like Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash and have had no problems with it at all. It’s not as hydrating as the Johnson’s, so it’s better for normal to oilier skin types. It has a very strong spicy, sweet smell, which you will probably love, or hate! Luckily you can smell the soap at the store before purchasing it.

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